They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County Will – Thomas Bacon

[Will Summary]

Testator: Thomas Bacon, Liberty County, State of Georgia

Bequests:

  • Gives unto his wife Sarah H. Bacon, her heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, his house and lot of land in Walthourville that he “has settled upon,” containing the number of acres cited in the “late resurvey and plat thereof, made by L. B. Daniel, County Surveyor.” She also receives his household goods, kitchen furniture, books, four-wheeled family carriage, carriage horses, harness, and appurtenances. “Also my slave Will, who is at present the carriage-driver, and the following house-servants, namely, Chloe, Affee and her two children, Sylvia and Bella, to hold to her my said wife, her heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever.” Also gives his wife during her natural life his “Bennet tract of land, containing two hundred acres, more or less.”

  • Gives to his eldest son, Edwin H. Bacon, and to his heirs and assigns that lot of pine land, with its improvements, that he now lives on, adjoining the above tract given to his wife and the lands of Richard S. Baker and William J. Way and others. “Also all that part or tract of land, on which his negroes are now settled, and he plants, supposed to contain two hundred acres, more or less, lying in the Desert, being part of the tract of land originally granted to Ann Andrews, down as far as half way between a pine station and a double maple station, on a line between Edward Russell and said land; thence in a line running two degrees South across said land until it strikes William J. Way’s land, according to a mark which I made across the plat thereof. Also two lots of pine land lying on the new Canouchie road, adjoining Edward Rossell’s pine lot on the North, and the estate of Moses Way’s land on the South near Sweetwater Branch. Also four hundred acres of pine land on the Big Bay, adjoining Riachard L. [or S] Baker’s on the South, and Edward Russell’s on the East. Also my negro man slave Big Stephen and girl Nanny, who is at present his house servant, to hold to my said son, Edwin H. Bacon, his heirs and assigns forever. And I do hereby declare that the said real estate, so devised to my said wife and son, shall be considered their full share and proportion of all my real estate.”

  • Gives all the remainder of his real estate to his other children: Albert T Bacon, Augustus O. Bacon, Milton E. Bacon, Sumner W. Bacon, Thomas J. Bacon, Henry H. Bacon, Frances Cornelia Bacon and Robert J. Bacon, “their respective heirs and assigns forever, in equal parts and shares, as tenants in common, and not as joint tenants.”

  • Gives to his son Albert T. Bacon one of his double barrelled guns, of his choise, and to his son Augustus O. Bacon, his silver watch.

  • All the rest of his personal estate and property of every description, including slaves, he leaves to be equally divided between his wife and all his said children. “The slave above named, given to my said wife and son Edward H. Bacon, to be considered as part of the same, and appraised with all the others, and charged to them, my said wife and son, at the appraisement. But no appraisement to be made of the other parts of my personal property, given to my said wife and sons, Albert T. and Augustus O. Bacon.”

  • If any of his children die while minors and without lawful issue, then their portion to be divided equally between his wife and his surviving children, or their legal representatives, in equal parts.

Executors: Son Edwin H. Bacon, “my beloved brethren, George W. Walthour, Richard S. Baker, and Oliver Stevens, son Albert T. Bacon, as soon as he graduates in the Jefferson Medical College, and my said son Augustus Bacon, as soon as he arrives at the age of twenty one years, executors, and my said wife, Sarah H. Bacon, executrix, of this my last will and testament.”

Date signed: 22 October 1834.

Witnesses: Jacob Hoeckley, Frances Holcombe, Henrietta L. Webb

Probated by Mrs. Frances Holcombe, on 18 November 1834.

Recorded 14 January 1835.

See original will at: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-GCQT?i=522&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901&cc=1999178